Accommodations for Court Proceedings in the First Judicial Circuit

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, effective January 26, 1992, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in state and local government services. This includes participation in court proceedings. Anyone needing an accommodation to participate in court proceedings should contact the appropriate ADA Coordinator for the court in which the activity will be held.

It is the intent of the First Judicial Circuit to facilitate provisions for reasonable accommodations when requested by qualified persons with disabilities.

Administrative Order 2010-33, signed by the Chief Judge of the First Judicial Circuit, requires that all notices for court proceedings include the following notice (as amended by Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.540) See ADA Admin Order LINK (pdf format)

All notices of court proceedings to be held in a public facility, and all process compelling appearance at such proceedings, shall include the following statement in bold face, 14-point Times New Roman or Courier font: 

"If you are a person with a disability who needs any accomodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance.

Please contact:

Shelia Sims

190 Governmental Center, 5th Floor

Pensacola, FL 32502

(850) 595-4400

at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voiced impaired, call 711."

Former Rule 2.065 adopted Oct. 24, 1996, effective Jan. 1, 1997 (682 So.2d 89). Renumbered from Rule 2.065 Sept. 21, 2006 (939 So.2d 966).

See Link for ACCOMMODATIONS REQUEST (pdf format)

Some accommodations, such as sign language interpreters and real-time reporting, require additional time to schedule. To ensure service availability, it is recommended that you contact the ADA Coordinator at least seven days prior to your court appearance or visit to the courthouse. Please be prepared to explain the nature of your disability and suggest an auxiliary aid or service that will enable you to effectively participate in the court program or service.

The ADA Coordinator for the courts in the First Judicial Circuit is Shelia Sims, Chief Deputy Court Administrator. She may be reached at (850) 595-4400 or for persons who are hearing or voice impaired, by calling 711. The address for the Office of Court Administration is: M.C. Blanchard Judicial Center, 190 Governmental Center, 5th Floor, Pensacola, FL 32502

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES (ADA)

WHAT IS ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 was enacted to ensure that all qualified individuals with disabilities enjoy the same opportunities that are available to persons without disabilities. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA directly affects state courts as providers of public programs and services.

Under the act, an individual with a "disability" is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, has a record of such an impairment or is regarded as having such an impairment. Examples of physical impairments include: speech and hearing impairments, visual impairments, epilepsy, heart disease, HIV infections/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, and mobility impairments. Examples of mental impairments include: learning disabilities and psychological disorders.

The ADA is divided into five sections. Title I of the act prohibits unreasonable discrimination against qualified individuals based on a disability in all employment activities. Under Title II of the Act, no qualified individual with a disability shall be unreasonably discriminated against, or excluded from participation in or benefits of the services, programs, or activities of state and local government, including the judicial branch. Title III prohibits discrimination by public accommodations, that is, a private entity that owns, leases, or operates a place of public accommodations. Such a place is defined as, among other things, services by doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professionals. Title IV relates to telecommunications and Title V contains miscellaneous provisions.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM A QUALIFIED PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO NEEDS A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS WITHIN THE STATE COURTS SYSTEM?

If you are a person with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the employment application, recruitment, and selection process within the State Courts System, and you need assistance in one of our counties, please contact the appropriate person listed below as far in advance as possible.

Please be prepared to explain your functional limitations and suggest a reasonable accommodation that you believe will enable you to effectively participate in the application, recruitment, and selection process. If you are a current employee of, or are hired by, the State Courts System and require a reasonable accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job in question, you should consult with your supervisor

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM A QUALIFIED PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM OR SERVICE OF THE STATE COURTS SYSTEM?

Some physical barriers make it difficult for persons with a disability to participate in court services or programs. In some courthouses, witness and jury boxes may be inaccessible to wheelchairs or public information counters may be too high for some persons. In addition to architecturally renovating facilities to make them readily accessible to persons with disabilities, there are other methods of providing program access including relocating a service to enable a person with a disability to participate.